Stepheney Susanne Collins Higdon passed away at her home on Wednesday, August 20, 2025. She was born in Greenville, North Carolina on December 19, 1995, a daughter of the late Michael D. Collins and Constance Smith Amos of Fairmont. She is survived by her husband, Alec Higdon; one son Leighton Collins; two brothers Nathaniel Collins and Michael Collins; two sister Natasha Collins and Amanda “Mandy” Collins; her grandfather James Smith and several nieces and nephews. She was prec...

Richard Arthur Kempf, 59, of Fairmont passed away on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, at Ruby Memorial Hospital. He was born in Roswell, New Mexico on December 26, 1965, a son of the late Richard F. and Gwendolyn Sumers Kempf. He proudly served his county in the United States Marine Corp. He worked as an automobile mechanic by trade. He is survived by his close friend Shawn Stutler of Fairmont; his dog dollar; two cousins Stanley Thompson Epling II and Jason Epling both of Florida; a...

Sandra Sue Sloan Cottrell, age 82, of Buckhannon, WV (formerly of Teter Lake, WV and Enterprise, WV) went to be with her Lord and Savior on Tuesday, August 19, 2025. She was born November 8, 1942, a daughter of the late Woodrow and Margaret (Van Meter) Sloan. Sandy is survived by her daughters, Denise Cottrell of Taylorsville, NC and Donna Cottrell of Buckhannon, WV; a son Thomas (Butch) Cottrell, of Carr, CO; eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. She is also survived by a bro...

Benny Franklin Shifflett, 92, of Walkersville, passed away in the comfort of his home on Tuesday, August 19, 2025. Benny was born in Gaines on May 19, 1933, a son of the late George Shifflett and Frankie Bennett Shifflett. In addition to his parents, Benny was preceded in death by one daughter, Sherry Wick; three step-children: Richard Cottrill, Michelle Ables, and Louise Heater; one sister, Betty Shifflett; two sisters-in-law: Betty Elmer and Helen Bailey; and two brothers-in-law: Mic...

Marilyn Sue "Susie" Petsche, 70, of Clarksburg, passed away suddenly on August 19, 2025, at River Oaks Healthcare Center. She was born on January 12, 1955, at St Mary's Hospital in Clarksburg, a daughter of Betty Nuzum Tonkery of Shinnston. She was preceded in death by her husband George Petsche of Cleveland, OH, her nephew Brandon Ford of Shinnston, and her beloved dog Petie. In addition to her mother, she is survived by her daughter Sandra Mullenax, husband Barry and their dau...

Richard "Rick" Kent Hursey Rick Hursey, 82, of Shinnston, West Virginia, passed away suddenly at home on August 19, 2025. Rick was born on July 23, 1943, to the late Mary Lee (Hurst) Hursey and Walter Andrew Hursey. At age 6, Rick started his first job as a paperboy for the Shinnston News. He used his earnings to buy Bond #1 to build the Shinnston Pool, which he ran for years as an adult. By age 12, Rick ran his own bicycle sales & repair shop. He worked for Westinghouse from 1961 to ...

James P. (Jimmy) Jacobs, 88, passed away on August 19, 2025, at Grafton City Hospital. He was born in Grafton, West Virginia on February 24, 1937, to the late James and Ada Robinson Jacobs. He graduated from Grafton High School with the class of 1955. He played on the football team and was part of the 1952 Championship Team. He enjoyed his team and fellow players and talked about their games like they were yesterday. After graduation, he worked briefly for the B&O Railroad on a track gang ...

Charles “David” Wilkinson, known as “Mouse” in his younger years, aged 69, passed away on Monday, August 18, 2025, at the United Hospital Center in Bridgeport. He was born in Fairmont, June 15, 1956, a son of the late Charles David Wilkinson, Sr., and the late Nancy Lou Gillespie Belton and her husband Walter, who raised him. He is survived by Suzy Johnson, who was the love of his life; a son, Brett Wilfong and his companion, Crystal Smallwood; his siblings, John Belton and his wife Susan,...

William Warren Schaefer, 73 of Morgantown (formerly of Grafton) passed away Monday August 18, 2025 at Morgantown Heights Nursing Home. He was born on November 7, 1951, son of the late George Leonard Sr. and Michiko Hara Schaefer. William was preceded in death by his wife, Ellen Jeannette Knotts Schaefer, September 11, 2015. Arrangements are incomplete at this time. Bartlett Funeral Home is honored to serve the Schaefer family. William graduated from Grafton High School, Class of 1970. He w...

Joseph Alan Polomski, age 40 years, a resident of Morgantown, WV departed this life Monday afternoon, August 18, 2025, at Shavers Fork, WV. Death was unexpected. He was born Tuesday, May 7, 1985, at Elkins, WV, a son of Brenda Sue Jolly Lipscomb and husband Jerry of Morgantown and Joseph Craig Polomski and wife Diane of Hambleton. Also surviving are several friends. He attended University High School in Morgantown. He was a chef prep at IHop. His hobbies included fishing, camping and...